Residential Building Permit Season Has Arrived

Protect yourself from unsafe building practices. Secure a building permit BEFORE you start to build. Building permits are required for the construction, alteration or repair, demolition or movement of any building or structure in the City of Shakopee.

What is a Building Permit?

A building permit gives you legal permission to start construction of a building project in accordance with approved drawings and specifications.

Why Do I Need a Building Permit?

Your home is an investment. If your construction project does not comply with adopted codes, the value of your investment could be reduced. Property insurers may not cover work done without permits and inspections. If you decide to sell your home or building that has had modifications without a permit, you may be required to expose portions, leave it unoccupied, or do costly repairs.

It will be to the advantage of the property owner to show that code requirements were strictly and consistently met (as demonstrated by a code official).

Your permit also allows City code officials to protect the public by reducing the potential hazards of unsafe construction and ensuring public health, safety and welfare. By following code guidelines, your completed project will meet minimum standards of safety and will be less likely to cause injury to you, your family or future owners.

When DO I Need a Building Permit?

Building permits are normally required for most "construction” projects. Each city, county and state differs on their building permit process. If you are unsure about the City of Shakopee building permit process, please contact City Hall at 952-233-9338 and ask for Patty in the Building Department.

Following is a partial list of projects that NEED a building permit in the City of Shakopee:

• DECKS
• PORCHES
• FENCE
• UTILITY/GARDEN SHED – at or greater than 120 square feet.
• HOT TUBS
• POOLS
• SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
• HOT WATER HEATER
• WATER SOFTNER
• ROOF – new or re-roof
• ELECTRICAL
• PLUMBING
• MECHANICAL OR HEATING
• WINDOW REPLACEMENTS - SAME SIZE OR NEW
• HOUSE SIDING - ALUMINUM, VINYL, ETC.
• FIREPLACE
• CENTRAL AIR UNIT
• GARAGE HEATER
• DEMOLITION
• BASEMENT OR INTERIOR FINISHES

When DON'T I Need a Building Permit?

The following types of projects DO NOT NEED a building permit in the City of Shakopee:

• FLOORING
• CABINETS
• PAINTING
• CHANGING SOMETHING THAT IS NOT STRUCTURAL

How Do I Obtain a City of Shakopee Building Permit?

1. Stop by City Hall, 129 S. Holmes St., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, to pick up a building permit application and informational materials or contact Patty at 952-233-9338.
2. Fill out the application and be sure to attach the necessary supporting documents. At this stage, you will document the “who, what, when, where and how” of the job along with any sketches or plans of proposed work.
3. After the application is completed, return the application material to plan review at City Hall. Plan review times will vary depending on the type of project, seasonal demands and current City staff work loads. Please plan in advance to accommodate for an appropriate turn around time. Following are approximate times needed for plan review based on the project:
   * 2-5 working days for a deck
   * 2-5 working days for basement finish
   * 7-10 working days for a house
4. After the building permit has been approved, City Hall will contact you with the fee amount and when you can pick up your building permit.
5. After this process, you are now ready to begin your building project.

What is Plan Review?

City of Shakopee code officials will review your plans and determine if your project is in compliance with local requirements. If your plans meet these requirements, a permit is issued. If not, City code officials will help suggest solutions to help correct the problem.

After You Are Approved for Your Building Permit…

After you have been approved for your building permit, you have the legal permission to start construction. A fee, based on the job, is collected to cover the cost of the application, the review and the inspection process. An experienced code official is available to you should you have any questions concerning your project. You should consider your code official as an ally who will help make your project a success. Normally, separate permits are required for electrical, plumbing and heating and/or air-conditioning work.

On-site inspections will be required to make certain the work conforms to the permit, City of Shakopee codes and plans. Again, you will have access to the expertise of the code official to help you with questions or concerns regarding your project and to ward off potentially costly mistakes. The code official will let you know approximately how many inspections may be needed for your project.

A Shakopee code official will provide documentation when construction is completed and the code compliance is determined. You will then have the personal satisfaction of a job done right.

Does the City Have Established “Construction” Hours?

The City of Shakopee has established the following citywide hours of construction (per section 10.60 of the City Code). Please be courteous to your neighbors during the construction process.

7 a.m. – 10 p.m. – Weekdays

9 a.m. – 9 p.m. – Weekends or Holidays

 Building Permit Information Phone Numbers